Worldwide: Aviation

On May 14, 2026, the United States Supreme Court delivered an important win for truck crash victims and highway safety. In Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II, LLC, the Court unanimously held that federal law does not shield freight brokers from state-law claims when they negligently hire unsafe motor carriers. The ruling reverses the Seventh Circuit and confirms that negligent-hiring claims against brokers fall within the safety exception of the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act.

The legal framework for civil unmanned aircraft operations over the high seas remains unresolved, creating a fundamental threshold issue for operators planning routes beyond 12 nautical miles offshore. While domestic statutory flexibilities exist, the Chicago Convention and ICAO Annex 2 requirements present compliance challenges that differ significantly from traditional crewed aviation.

On March 12, 2026, a division of the Colorado Court of Appeals issued a significant opinion concerning federal preemption, aviation law, and environmental nuisance. In Town of Superior v. Board of County Commissioners of Jefferson County, 2026 COA 14, the division held that federal law preempts a state court from ordering an airport proprietor to ban certain aircraft operations as a noise abatement measure, even though the proprietor itself retains the authority to impose such restrictions voluntarily.